1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to manual hand tools, and more particularly to a specialty tongs for gripping pottery advantageously during its construction and especially during glazing operations.
2. Description Of Related Art
Hand tools of a very wide variety have been constructed and used since early times by artisans. Such tools are constructed for holding, lifting, manipulating, supporting and many other manual tasks. Tools that are of the same genus as the present invention are constructed for gripping, grasping, cutting, crushing, bending, puncturing and other tasks that advantageously provide opposing mandibles with surfaces that may be flat, curved or sharp, etc. Cutters, plyers, adjustable wrenches, dykes and other common hand tools are of this family of useful devices. Tongs are a particular type of hand tool with opposing surfaces which are drawn toward each other usually by closing the hand that holds the tool. Tongs are used for picking up and manipulating ice cubes, foods, small parts, hot materials, sterile bandages and many other applications. Such devices are generally of light construction and are not meant to apply a crushing or cutting force, but only to act as an extension of the human hand providing leverage, reach and an improved picking capacity relative to the human hand.
The prior art does not teach that a tongs may be constructed in a manner as to enable secure gripping of unfired ware as well as bisque during dipping operations. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.